


Plenty Special

by queen_scribbles



Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Birthday Presents, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 05:15:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28505091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles
Summary: AJ's always preferred low-key birthdays. That doesn't make them any less special.
Relationships: Female Detective & Felix Hauville, Female Detective/Nathaniel "Nate" Sewell
Kudos: 3





	Plenty Special

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this for AJ's birthday back in November(the 13th), then was terrible and forgot to cross post.

Abigail had never been one to make a fuss about her birthday. 

Her mother usually sent her a gift--aside from the few years, by some miracle, she was able to actually visit--and Tina would leave something little yet fun and thoughtful on her desk, but that was more than enough for her. The day was spent almost-normal, then ending in curled up with a good book. She’d never felt the need to make a big deal out of it.

Felix, apparently, felt differently, if the dozen odd balloons(and the streamers) decorating the Warehouse living room were any indication.

“I hear it’s your birthday,” he grinned in answer to Abigail’s clearly gobsmacked expression when the sight registered.

“You hear correctly,” she said slowly. Her gaze traveled around the room, taking in the decorations. “But when... how... I thought we were just hangin’ out.”

“We can, if that’s what you want,” Felix said. He sprawled across a couch. “You’re the birthday girl, AJ. How come you didn’t mention that when we were setting this up?”

She shrugged. “It’s just never been particularly... _different_ day for me. I’m too much a fan of quiet, an’ especially with Mum away so much for work; we never celebrated with big parties.”

“Fair enough,” Felix laughed.

“This year I have th’ day off an’ get to spend it as I please, that’s plenty for me.”

“And you chose to spend it with me?” He grinned. “I’m honoured.”

“You’re fun company, yeah?” Abigail said, dropping onto the couch next to him. “An’ it’s been too long since we got to spend time together.”

“Gotta admit, I’m a little surprised you aren’t spendin’ it with Natey,” Felix said. He waggled his eyebrows as he nudged her in the ribs.

 _Wish I could._ She swallowed back the knee-jerk thought and played with a lock of hair. “He an’ Adam were needed for a mission, an’ I’d made plans with you. B’fore I knew he was gonna be busy,” she added hastily, realizing that almost made it sound like Felix was her second choice 

But Felix appeared to have not even noticed. “Oh, _that’s_ why he was so grumpy this morning. Y’know, by Nate-standards,” he amended with a grin when Abigail cocked a disbelieving brow. “He usually loves all the diplomatic stuff, and seemed kind of... meh about this one.” His grin widened. “He’s moping ‘cause he won’t get to see you, that’s _adorable_.”

“We might see each other,” Abigail protested. “Way I understand it, whatever they’re doin’ shouldn’t take even a whole day. ‘Less something goes wrong they should be back by evenin’ at latest. B’sides,” she shrugged, “Nate an’ I spent th’ day together for _his_ birthday not two weeks ago, and it would just be more of th’ same.”

“You say that like it’s something neither of you would enjoy,” Felix said with a smirk. 

Abigail opened her mouth, shut it, and then replied, “Readin’s always grand, yeah? But a few minutes with him’ll be fine for today. I want to spend it with you. Even if Nate wasn’t busy.”

“AJ.” Felix rested his chin in his palm and grinned at her like a darned Cheshire cat. “I can tell you’re lying. Not about hanging out with me--I mean, cmon, who _wouldn’t_ wanna do that?--but you’re _really_ hoping they get back in time for you to have a decent visit with Nate.”

“That would be nice,” Abigail conceded, since he could tell anyway. “But really, any time I get t’ see him will be plenty special. An’ so will the time I’m spendin’ with you.” She tapped the string of one colorful balloon. “This was sweet of ya, by the way. Didja have anything in mind for us hangin’ out?”

“There’s a couple movies I wanted to watch no one’s else is really interested in.” He pulled off his hat and tossed it in the air. “Nate’ll watch ‘em with me if I nag, but I’d rather do it with someone who’ll have fun. But if it’s not something you wanna do....”

“What movies?” Abigail asked, gathering her hair back in a bun.

Felix yanked his hat back on, eyes bright with hope, and jumped up to retrieve the movies in question.

“Oh, I love that one,” she grinned, recognizing one case before he’d made it back across the room. “Never watched the other one m’self, but I’ve heard good things.”

He grinned back, bouncing a little. “Sooo? I mean, it’s your birthday, if you’d rather do something else we can.”

Abigail gave a soft laugh. “Nah, we can watch these. It’ll be fun.”

“Great!” Felix whooped, and plunked back down on the couch with enough enthusiasm it made her bounce a little. “Which one first? I’m guessing you want the on you know you love?”

She shook her head. “Let’s start with the new one, yeah? Save the best for last?”

“Whatever you say, birthday girl,” he winked and popped open the movie’s case. “You’re patienter than I’d be.”

“Makin’ up words again, are ya?” Abigail teased as she leaned over to start unlacing her boots.

“When I need to,” Felix grinned, rolling with the gentle needling. “And you know what a movie needs?” He flashed across the room to get the first one started, reached behind a nearby chair before darting back over. “Popcorn!”

More specifically, _chocolate-drizzled_ popcorn, Abigail noted with a smile as she took the bowl he handed her. _Better’n birthday cake_. “Well, you certainly know how to make a birthday special.”

Felix arched a brow even as he scrambled for the remote. “That’s all it takes?”

She shrugged. “Toldja I don’t usually do much.”

“That’s why you need a friend like me,” he said brightly, settling back next to her with his own bowl of popcorn in one hand and the remote in the other.

“Are you gonna be able t’ sit still if ya eat that?” Abigail laughed as she eyed the lavish ribbons of chocolate dripping over his popcorn.

“No, but c’mon, AJ.” Felix bumped his shoulder to hers and grinned. “I don’t sit still _anyway_.”

She laughed again, almost choking on a mouthful of popcorn. “True. Do ya talk durin’ movies, too?”

“Yeah.” He wrinkled his nose but didn’t sound terribly sheepish as he hit play. He kicked off his shoes and braced rainbow-stripe clad feet against the coffee table, flashing her a grin. “Good luck getting me to stop.”

“Felix, I’d never try t’ make you stop talkin’.” She giggled. “For one thing, I know it’s impossible, yeah? For another...” she bit her lip. “I do it, too. Sometimes.” 

“Commentate movies?” His grin widened when she nodded. “I knew there was a reason I liked you, buddy.”

Abigail grinned back and bumped her shoulder to his before they settled in to watch the movie.

\---

By the end of their mini-marathon, she was already prepared to label this one of the better birthdays she’d had. It was _so much more fun_ to do movie commentary with someone, and the popcorn was delicious, and Felix was delightful company. She was having so much fun she almost forgot to eat lunch. And it was impressive Felix managed to sit mostly-still through most of her favorite parts in the second movie.

“That was fun,” he announced as he clicked off the scrolling movie credits.

“Yeah, it was,” she said, slouching even more comfortably in her sideways perch against the couch arm. “A very good birthday. Thank you, Felix.”

“Unless you gotta leave, it’s not done yet,” he pointed out. “We can hang out more.”

“I don’t, not yet.” Abigail shook her head and stretched. “Tina asked if I wanted to go for drinks after her shift’s done, but the time for that’s up in the air. If we do it at all. I can stay longer.”

Which also increased her odds of at least crossing paths with Nate today, a fact Felix’s grin said he knew.

“I’m completely unoffended and ready to be your excuse for hanging around all day if you need it,” he winked.

Abigail blushed and reached to twirl her hair.but couldn’t find any loose bits and tugged at her ear instead. “No, I wanna hang out with you, I’m not just-”

“AJ, I’m teasing,” he cut her off with a laugh.

“Oh.” Her face warmed even more, heat spreading to her ears. “Good. I-I know I’m a bit....”

“Besotted? Smitten?” Felix filled in for her, grinning. “It’s okay, he is, too.”

Abigail bit her lip in a futile effort to hold back her smile.

“Oh! I almost forgot, i got you a present!” Felix twisted around to dig down between the cushion and arm of the couch.

“You didn’t have to-”

“AJ.” He tugged free a small orange and yellow wrapped gift. “It’s what friends _do_. You gave me something.”

She didn’t argue the point any further, mostly because he seemed so excited about giving her something, just took the present with laugh and started working the tape loose until she could unwrap it. Another, louder laugh bubble up when she saw the contents. “Felix, I love them!”

The socks were a soft, minty green and patterned with ladybugs. There was a second pair underneath, light purple with honeybees. Both were adorable and looked very comfortable.

“Hey, I’m just glad to have a friend I can give this sort of thing and they actually appreciate it instead of, y’know, threatening violence,” Felix joked, but the glint in his amber eyes showed how proud he was of himself.

“Oh, yeah, they’re grand,” Abigail smiled. She immediately swapped out the plain blue socks she was wearing for the ladybugs, then tucked the honeybees and discarded pair in her jacket pocket so she wouldn’t forget them when she left. “Thanks a bunch.”

“Welcome.” He turned back to his original position and rested his feet on the coffee table again.

“You know you’re in for it if Nate catches you doin’ that, yeah?” she laughed.

“The operative part of that being Nate catching me,” Felix grinned, wiggling his toes.

“Oh, is it now?” a very familiar--mildly exasperated--voice asked from behind them. 

Felix twisted around and flashed a cheesy grin. “Hey, Nate. AJ was hoping you’d be back soon.”

And with that, he vaulted the back of the couch and zipped from the room. Nate, for all his exasperation, didn’t try to stop him.

He did shake his head even as he smiled at her. “He is...”

“Incorrigible?” Abigail supplied as she pushed to her feet and skirted around the couch.

Nate laughed, running a hand through his hair. “That is an excellent word for it, yes.”

“He’s also right; I was _really_ hopin’ you’d be back b’fore I had t’ leave.”

“Well, here I am,” he smiled, and she didn’t try to quell the butterflies in her chest as he stepped into the room to meet her for a hug. “Happy birthday, Abigail,” he murmured into her hair, before kissing the top of her head. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be here for more of it.”

“S’alright, Felix made it plenty special so far,” Abigail said, hugging a little tighter before she loosened her grip to look up at him. “How’d it go?”

“Oh, fine.” Nate traced his thumb along her jaw. “Nothing extraordinary, and no complications.”

She huffed a laugh against his shirt. “There bein’ no complications is a little extraordinary for us, isn’t it?”

“Perhaps just a little,” he chuckled. “But I’m grateful for it.” 

“Oh, yeah, won’t hear me complainin’,” Abigail said with a smile, pushing up on her toes in an unspoken request for a kiss.

One Nate was all too willing to grant. “Me, neither.”

They held the kiss until Abigail’s legs started to ache and she dropped back flat-footed. She’d never realized how much difference the extra inch her boots gave her made. It was still a good kiss, made even better by the way Nate followed for a moment when gravity forced her to pull away, clearly reluctant as she was for it to end.

Abigail let out a soft, happy hum as she tucked herself close beneath his chin. ”An absolutely _grand_ birthday to me...”

Nate chuckled and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “Content as you seem with how things stand, I do actually have a gift for you.”

“Gettin’ time with you is present enough.” She blushed at how cheesy it sounded and buried her face against his chest the second the words left her mouth, but that didn’t make them _untrue_

Nate .laughed. “A sentiment I appreciate more than you know.” His fingers brushed the back of her neck and a pleasant shiver rippled down her spine. “But this is something I very much want to give you.”

“Well, if you’re gonna insist..” Abigail teased. “Though I’ll warn ya, Felix gave me ladybug socks, so the bar is set pretty high, yeah?”

He kissed her forehead. “Consider me warned. It’s back in my room, I’ll go-”

“Oh, I’ll come with ya,” she said, slipping from their hug to lace her fingers with his. “I want all the time I can get.”

Nate nodded and squeezed her hand. “Fine with me. So what have you been doing today?”

She told him as they walked, and he smiled at her obvious enthusiasm for how she and Felix had passed the time. His smile widened slightly when she hesitated upon reaching the door to his room.

“You can come in, AJ. I’m not going to make you open your gift in the hall.” He tugged her hand gently so she’d follow. Which she did, even as the back of her neck and ears warmed. She’d not been in Nate’s room since the aftermath of the Trapper fight.

Once they were in the room, the door nudged half-closed behind them, Nate released her hand to cross to one of the closer bookshelves. Abigail moved to sit on the edge of the bed as he retrieved what he sought before joining her.

The box was not a large one, wrapped in plain(yet beautiful) dark blue paper and tied with a narrow brown ribbon. _Real_ ribbon, not gift-wrapping ribbon. Abigail paused after freeing it and tied it around her bun before setting to work on the tape. The paper soon came away to reveal a sturdy, flat box. Inside that, a layer of soft tissue paper concealed and protected the actual gift. She set aside the lid and the wrapping paper, glanced up at Nate.

The faint smile curving his lips shone magnitudes brighter in his eyes and that intrigued her even more than all the layers she was working through. She bit her lip, looked back down, and gingerly moved the paper aside.

It registered first and immediately that it was books. Two small leather-bound volumes; one deep red, one rich brown. They were _nice_ books. Probably _old_ books, and that was enough to make her heart skip a beat. Another moment’s examination made it skip and stutter through several, and pulled a sharp, quiet gasp from her. The titles were in German, and she could only read the first word of each, but that was plenty for her to give a good guess.

She looked at Nate again, the words escaping quiet, breathless. “Are these...?”

“First editions,” he confirmed with a nod, the smile he’d been holding back breaking through in full force.

Abigail exhaled an unsteady breath, trembling fingers hovering over the books as if afraid to touch them, tracing the gold gilt letters of the word she knew in the air above the covers.

_Heidi._

“This is...” Her voice broke, the lump in her throat too much to speak around.

“Your favorite. I know.” Nate leaned over and kissed her temple. “Happy birthday.”

Abigail let out a quiet(borderline hysterical) scoffing laugh, still staring at the books. “Nate...” She wasn’t even sure what to _say_. They were nearly pristine despite their age; _thank you_ was woefully inadequate, _I can’t_ would be ungrateful.

As if sensing the direction of her thoughts, Nate touched her arm so she’d look at him. “They were given to me... a very long time ago” -- _when they were new,_ she read in his eyes, even if he didn’t specify-- “and have sat on a shelf ever since. Knowing how much you love this story, I’d much rather you have them.”

“I... they must be worth a lot.” The words escaped in a whispered rush and she winced and bit her lip. “Sorry. You’re not s’pposed’ta know that about presents.”

Nate just smiled. “They are. But far less to me than doing something that makes you happy.”

 _That_ was when it was too much, her heart was too full, and Abigail (gently) pushed aside the books to whirl around and hug him, which quickly--and unsurprisingly--turned into a kiss.

She was fast enough to catch him off-guard, and Nate started to topple backwards at her fervor, but he caught himself on one elbow. The other hand curved against her jaw, fingers just catching her hair, as he returned the kiss. He was smiling into it, and Abigail wondered if her own was even bigger. Probably.

She pressed further into the kiss, her fingers curling in the hair at the nape of his neck, until her lungs ached and heart pounded, then pulled back just far enough to gasp a breath. “Thank you,” she murmured fervently, less than an inch between their lips.

Nate’s fingers dug deeper into her hair, threatening the integrity of her bun. “You’re welcome,” he managed, breathing ragged as her own, before tugging her in for another kiss.

Abigail sat back more completely when this one broke, glancing between Nate and the books with a huge grin on her face. _Safe to say he outdid the ladybug socks,_ she thought, and couldn’t hold in a giggle.

“What?” Nate gave an amused smile and reached over to brush back hair tumbling free from her somewhat loosened bun.

“Just... not sure how today can get much better, yeah?” She caught his hand when he started to pull back and pressed a brief kiss to the base of his thumb before letting go. 

He ran his fingers over the spot as he withdrew his hand. “We could go read for a while, if you’ve the time.”

“Always, for you,” Abigail said as she turned to carefully close the box and collect his gift. (She missed the surge of emotion laid bare across his face at her words.) “So, I stand corrected.”

“Well, then.” Nate pushed off the bed, straightening the duvet slightly before offering her his arm. “Shall we?”

She bit her lip, not trusting her voice, and nodded as she linked her arm through his. The other hugged his present close. “Y’know,” she began with exaggerated innocence as they walked, “this is a wonderful present, the best anyone’s ever given me, but...” A pause, lips quirking mischievously. “I don’t know German.”

Nate chuckled, catching the teasing note under the words. “I do,” he said, with a smile one could almost call _smug_.

“Well, you’ll just hafta help me with that, then, wontcha?” Abigail laughed.

Nate looked at her warmly, brown eyes dancing with mirth and affection in equal measure. “Abigail, it would be my pleasure.”

She grinned and leaned her head against his arm for the rest of the walk to the library. Today was definitely shaping up to be her best birthday ever. It wasn’t flashy or ostentatious or even what most would consider _exciting_ , but it was plenty special for her.

**Author's Note:**

> (AJ very deliberately does NOT look up what those books are worth, but I know from checking to get the cover colors right--between $1500-4000 _each_. Don't tell AJ, she'll faint)


End file.
